High school rapes not unusual, even in Palo Alto

Anyone surprised that a Steubenville-type alleged sexual assault could have happened in the weathly community of Saratoga shouldn’t be. It’s not unusual even in highly educated Palo Alto, one student reporter learned.

Lisie Sabbag, who writes for the Palo Alto High School magazine Verde, found that the problem is widespread. “I interviewed almost 10 different rape survivors, all from Paly. Most of them when they found out I was writing about it came up to me and said they wanted to help out. The two stories I used were very representative.”

The story, inspired by the nationally watched Steubenville case, also found that the girls’ friends weren’t supportive of them. The same factor may have contributed to the suicide of Audrie Pott in Saratoga days after she was allegedly assaulted by three schoolmates at a party.

“Education is not addressing this issue. Bringing this up, at least at Paly, has given us a place and a reason to discuss this,” Sabbag said.

One point is that boys are encouraged by their friends to take advantage of rape situations, as seen in these quotes from a rape survivor identified as Amy (not her real name).

Teen boys are expected to take advantage of the opportunities at all costs, or else face the ire of their friends, according to Amy, a senior who has experienced this first-hand.

“They [Paly guys] would say, ‘Oh you didn’t want to have sex with her because she’s drunk? You’re such a fag,’” Amy says. “Not that that’s excusable, but there is just as much pressure on guys to have sex and f— everything that moves as there is on girls to be that girl that sleeps with them.”

Neither of the girls pressed charges. “We’ve been connecting sources with guidance and counseling, reporting is completely up to them,” Sabbag said.

Not to pick on Paly–it may not have any more sexual assaults than any other co-ed high school, but it does have a distinguished journalism program led by teacher Paul Kandell not afraid to take on this topic. Sabbag, a senior, intends to study journalism at Emerson College in Boston. Her career is off to a promising start.